Washing-machine



M. M. LATHAM.

WASHING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 10. 1919.

Patented June 14,1921.

I m/afar? 1. M. Lmham.

UNITED STATi -Lfi Ii/IINNIE M. LA'IHAM, OF FORT WORTH. TE?

Tan orrics.

lS. ASSIGN-OR OF ONE-THERE TO ADA VJOOD, 0F LZ'YNVILLE, IOi/VA.

To all we 7mm it may concern Be it known that I, Mrwnrr, M. Livi'ria'n" a citizen of the United States, residing at Fort North, in the county of Tarrant and State of Texas, have invented certain new and useful. lmprovemeiits in fishing-lilachines; and I do hereby declare the following; to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to washing; chines. and. more particularly to that type of machine employing a reciprocating rubber cooperating; with a corrugated bottom to thoroughly mangle and work the articles for washing or cleaning the same.

One of the main objects of the invention is to provide a machine of the character stated of simple construction and operation in which the rubber is forced toward the inner surface of the bottom of the machine by resilient means and is so mounted as to have free vertical movement. thus insuring proper pressure being exerted upon the articles to be washed while preventing injury thereof by excessive pressure. A. further object is to provide a machine of the character stated of comparatively simple construction and operation which may be produced at relatively small cost. Further objects will appear from the detailed description.

In the drawings:

Figure 'l is a side view of a washing; machine constructed in accordance with my invention.

Fig. 2 is a central longitudinal section.

Fig. 3 is a central transverse section through the cover.

Fig. 4; is a detail of the connections between the rubber and the operating shaft therefor.

Broadly stated, the machine includes a tub or body 1 supported on suit-able legs 2 and a rubber 8 supported by a hinged cover and having means associated therewith for reciprocating this rubber. The inner face of body 1 is of arcuate shape and is provided with transversely extending: corrugations to provide a corrugated rubbing, surface 1. The rubber 3 is of segmental cross section and has its under face curved to correspond approximately with the curvature of the inner face of the bottom. The upper portion or top of this rubber is closed by spaced Ill 21 ING IEEGEHFTE.

Specification of Letters letent. Pgit entgd Jig-v.9 j 4''" 1921 c a .JL 4 v 1519. Serial NO. 303,173.

slats 5 so to prevent the articles being ed from falling into the upper concave port on of the rubber. The brittom or op erating portion of the rubber is composed of a plurality of strips 6 of wood or other suitable mater" .l and have secured thereto brushes 7 of suitable .ypc having; comparat vely short bristles, the st ips 6 being providcd with spaced openings (3 to permit ready passage of the washing solution through, the clothes and through the rubber as to facilitate the washing operation.

ii supporting and brace strip 8 of strap iron or other suitable material is secured to the upper face of cove? t and extends transversely thereof, the on d portions of this strip being; turned upwardly at right angles to pro vide standards 9 which rotatably support the ends of a transversely extending operating shaft 10. This strip is further provided. at each end, with a depending eye 11 adapted to receive a hook 12 mounted on the side of body 1 for securing the cover in lowered position.

Strip 8 also provides a. bearing for a horizontally (llSl30S bevel-gear 13 which meshes with a segmental. gear secured on the operatin shaft 10 so as to limit rotary movement or the shaft in either direction. An operating arm 15 is secured to the smooth portion of gear 14, this arm being provided at its outer end with a suitable handle or gripping element 16 to facilitate rocking of the operating shaft. The shaft 10 is adapted to fit into the upper end portion of a supporting bracket 17 secured to one end of body 1 for supporting the cover when in lifted or raised position.

The rubber 3 is provided, at the center of each end, with an upwardly projecting arm 18 to the upper end of which is secured the lower ends of the arms of a strap hanger 19 of substantial inverted Ushape. this hanger passing; over shaft 10. it substan tially rectangular guide member 20 is secured to shaft 10 and slidably receives the arms of hanger 19. This guide member also receives the upper end portion of an eX- pansion coil sprin rfil the lower end of which is positioned in a collar 22 secured about the upper end of arm 18 and bears against the upper end of this arm. The expansion springs 21 serve to normally hold the rubber 3 depressed so as to be closely adjacent the bottom of body 1. By rocking operating shaft 10, the rubber is reciprocated over the inner face of the body, the brushes of the rubber cooperating with the corrugations 1 to thoroughly work the clothes so as to insure loosening of all dirt particles therefrom thus greatly facilitating the washing operation. During this operation, thesprings 21 insure that the rubber will be depressed so as to act to best advantage, the connection between the rubber and the operating shaft permitting the rubber to rise so as to prevent injury to the clothes from excessive pressure. As will be noted, this rising of the rubber is entirely independent of the operating shaft, and there is no danger of injury to the clothing due to excessive pressure exerted thereon by the operator such as frequently occurs in machines where the rubber is operated directly and is subjected to pressure by the operator of the machine.

For convenience in wringing out the clothes after the washing operation, 1 provide a suitable cross strip 23 on the top of the machine, adjacent one end thereof, this strip being adapted to receive a wringer of known type and being so positioned that the solution removed from the clothes in the wringing operation will flow into the tub or body 1 of the machine.

What I claim is:

A washing machine including a tub having a cover and a rubber, an operating shaft journaled on the cover, means for oscillating the shaft, upwardly extending arms secured to the rubber, inverted substantially U-shaped hanger straps suspended from the shaft and secured to the arms, guide members slidable on the hanger straps and having grooves to receive the shaft and secured to the latter, collars secured to said arms, and expansion springs between the guides and collars for normally urging the rubber downwardly and adapted to permit upward movement of the rubber when undue pressure is placed thereon.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

Mus. MINNIE M. LATHAM. lVitnesses EUNICE HOHMANN, JULIUS HoHMANN. 

